Thread by @daithaigilbert

Back for day 2 of #MozFest and first up is a panel discussion about content moderation

Among those on the panel is Chris Gray, a former Facebook moderator who is leading a class-action lawsuit against the company in Ireland irishtimes.com/news/crime-and…

Also on the panel are Moritz Riesewieck and Hans Block, directors of the chilling movie The Cleaners about the moderators used by Google, Facebook and Twitter to cleanse their platforms of objectionable content

Here they are

Gray says that most of the work is just tedious. “Most of it is "Jesus, what is wrong with these people." The job is not as bad as they make it seem. The worst part is being audited, checking to make sure you are doing the work properly.” #MozFest

Riesewieck says that in the Philippines the content moderators are paid between $1-$3 per hour, but they have to stay in the job as they are the main breadwinners #MozFest

Gray says the only help they got was offers of finger painting and yoga. When he rang about medical cover, the company said it was canceled the day he left and didn’t cover mental health anyway. “Nobody cares, we are disposable.” #MozFest

In Germany, companies are advertising jobs as content moderators with the question: "Do you love social media and want to be up to date with what’s happening in the world” and use superheroes in costumes #MozFest

Companies only deal with this issue when it gets to crisis point @tweetclarita says,. adding that there are employees at the companies who struggle to get past PR teams and management to get the message out #Mozfest19

@tweetclarita Content moderation is not front and centre of the company’s policies, they are a response to regulation, so it will always be the lowest bar, Gray says. #MozFest.

Now turning to the obvious question: Why can’t AI solve this problem? Gabi Ivens says “The fact is AI cannot handle the level of complexity that moderation requires.” #Mozfest19

Gray said that he went to a doctor who told him he had PTSD and he asked “What the fuck have these people done to me?” #MozFest

Gray says a former colleague who still works with CP, the company Facebook contracts for content moderation, was told by a team leader that Gray was being sued by Facebook. Gray says he’s heard nothing from Facebook, and claims it was a way to keep others from speaking out

Gray says there is half a dozen people joining his lawsuit, but there are a whole load more waiting in the wings, but who are terrified of speaking out. “We want more people to come and get behind this and get justice.” #MozFest